Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Installment 4 - Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters

Before we learn about carbohydrates and fats it is
important to have a brief discussion of neurotransmitters.

Ever
wonder what really makes you feel good?

While many people will answer “sugar” because they
notice the “high” as sugar is flowing into their blood stream and giving them
energy.Of course, we all know what
follows - the “low” as the sugar runs out and we crave more sugar to feel good
again.As you may have guessed, the
correct answer is protein and the neurotransmitters which are made from it.Neurotransmitters help you feel good for the
long haul.

We can certainly see the physical nature of proteins
– a healthy and strong body contributes to how we feel.But that alone does not do it.We need the mind as well.This is where the neurotransmitters come in
to play - the “messengers” from the brain to the body.Protein is essential for building
neurotransmitters and their receptor sites on cell membranes.

Think of receptor sites as parking spaces and the
neurotransmitters as cars.Without a
place to park you just keep driving around in circles.Once you are parked you can go about your
business.The same goes for
neurotransmitters and receptor sites.You need the message to be sent and for it to reach its destination –
the cell.

Quite simply – neurotransmitters give us the ability
to be happy, alert, remember, and focus – all
essential for the competitive athlete.

There are two types of neurotransmitters.Excitatory neurotransmitters energize,
excite, stimulate, focus, learn, and remember.Inhibitory neurotransmitters keep us happy, relaxed, and peaceful.As with most areas of life, it is all about
balance.

There are six key neurotransmitters: For focus -
dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine; for learning and remembering –
acetylcholine; for feeling relaxed – GABA; and for being happy - serotonin.

Perhaps the most significant of all is serotonin,
the “feel good” neurotransmitter.Low
levels of serotonin have been linked to depression.The major anti-depressant medications
(Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro) are known as SSRIs (or serotonin selective
reuptake inhibitors).These drugs work
by making serotonin last longer in the brain so that you feel good longer.

Of course this is not addressing why one would be
low in serotonin in the first place.Low
serotonin is also linked to cravings, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder,
aggressive behavior, and headaches.

Another important feature of serotonin is that it
converts into melatonin.This hormone
regulates sleep and is an important antioxidant.Some sleeping disorders may be from lack of
melatonin.Serotonin is made from the
amino acid tryptophan which is found in turkey and seafood.Also note that serotonin is depleted by high
sugar (carbohydrate) diets.

Dopamine is our pleasure and reward
neurotransmitter.It is responsible for
keeping us focused and alert (thus allowing us to receive our reward!).Dopamine is made from the amino acid tyrosine
which is found in poultry, fish (particularly tuna), eggs, beans, nuts and
seeds.

Epinephrine and norepinephrine work with dopamine
and are stimulating and energy-giving.They are made from the amino acids tyrosine and phenylanine.Low levels of dopamine are associated with
attention and behavior disorders (such as addiction).

Acetylcholine supports our memory, attention, and
ability to think.One of the key
ingredients is choline - found in highest quantities in eggs, beef, and beef
liver, but also in broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

GABA is our calming neurotransmitter.It is made from the amino acid taurine.Taurine is a non-essential amino acid that
can be manufactured from cysteine in the liver, but vitamin B6 must be present.Taurine is found naturally in seafood and
meat.Low levels of GABA are associated
with panic attacks, anxiety and insomnia.

As you can see protein (and mainly animal based
protein) is a key source of the nutrients required to build our
neurotransmitters.Unfortunately, many
of our diets lack sufficient protein.Does yours?